A Date with China media tour visits the Maritime Silk Road Horologe Museum in Zhangzhou, East China's Fujian province, on May 19, 2024. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Members of the international media tour A Date with China visited the Maritime Silk Road Horologe Museum in Zhangzhou, East China's Fujian province, on Sunday and got a closer look at the history and current development of the city's clock and watch manufacturing industry.

Zhanghzou's history of the clock and watch industry stretches back to 400 years ago, with Western clocks flowing into the city through the Maritime Silk Road and locals beginning imitation. Now, Zhangzhou has ushered in its own era of clock and watch manufacturing, with the industry becoming one of the most important sectors of Fujian province.

As the production and sales base for electronic quartz clocks in China, Zhangzhou is also the world's largest producer of quartz clocks and has established a complete industrial chain from component production to assembly. With over 200 related enterprises, the industry generates about 7 billion yuan ($968 million) in output value. Zhangzhou's global market share of quartz clock components exceeds 70 percent, with the products exported to nearly 200 countries and regions worldwide.